But Downton Abbey stars Laura Carmichael and Michelle Dockery opted for something a bit more modern as they attended a press event for the upcoming fourth season of the show in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Laura, who plays Lady Edith Crawley in the hit series, opted for a fun and flirty black pleated dress which featured black and white piano keys on the hem.

She teamed the outfit with a pair of black sandals and wore her blonde hair tied back in chic updo.

Modern and stylish: Michelle Dockery and Laura Carmichael swapped their period costumes fr something more interesting at the Downton Abbey press junket in Los Angeles on Tuesday

Competition: Michelle and Laura both courted attention at the event in their modern ensembles

However, Laura had some competition
in the glamour stakes from co-star Michelle Dockery, who wore an
on-trend shorts suit for the occasion.

The two-tone suit featured beige
shorts with a black trim and a black jacket with beige lapels, and
Michelle finished off her look with a pair of pointed black heels.

At the press junket, held at the Beverly
Hilton Hotel in Los Angeles, Michelle and her castmates opened up about
what's in store for their on-screen alter egos in the new series.

Glammed up! Michelle Dockery and her female Downton Abbey co-stars let their hair down and donned high heels for a PBS press event at the Beverly Hilton Hotel Tuesday

The
widowers: Lady Mary Crawley became both a mother and a widow in the
shocking season finale, not unlike Irish chauffeur Tom Branson (Allen
Leech)

While Michelle's character Lady Mary
Crawley was left devastated when her husband Matthew was killed in a car
crash during the Christmas special of the show, she will soon perk up
as a new love interest is set to be introduced for the character.

Speaking about her new beaus, Michelle, 31, said: 'Gillingham is an old family friend. The sisters knew him when we were
growing up, and we haven’t seen him since then. A party is organized at
the house, and he is invited to it.

So pretty! Laural looked far more
beautiful than her dowdy character Lady Edith Crawley

The
whole gang: The ladies were also joined by executive producers Rebecca
Eaton (L) and Gareth Neame (R) at the Beverly Hills event

'He’s just a different character. And there’s other potential suitors,
as well. It’s not just him. There’s a character called Blake, played by
Julian Ovenden. And Evelyn Napier (played by Brendan Patricks) comes
back, as well. He was the one who brought the Turkish diplomat along.
That was lovely to play scenes with Brendan again because we haven’t
seen him since Season 1. They’re very different.

'And this year, we have a few new
characters coming in. Mary's beginning to come back to real life again
because it takes her a long,
long time to even interact with anyone.'

And fans of the show will be pleased
to know that while season four hasn't even premiered yet, the cast have
already signed up for season five.